The Israeli military is stepping up its activities in the embattled Gaza Strip, a leading commander said on Sunday, as dozens of Palestinians were reportedly killed in fresh attacks.
“We are intensifying our activity in accordance with the established plan,” said chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir.
“Hamas is under immense pressure. It has lost most of its assets and its command and control,” Zamir said during a visit to troops in the city of Khan Younis in the south of the coastal territory.
“We will deploy every tool at our disposal to bring the hostages home, dismantle Hamas, and dismantle its rule,” he asserted.
“This is not an endless war. We aim to end it by achieving its objectives,” he added.
Israeli media previously reported that the military has moved all its regular infantry and tank brigades into the Gaza Strip. The armed forces are currently deployed in various areas of the embattled coastal region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently announced plans to capture the entire Gaza Strip.
Israel’s actions in the coastal area, home to around two million Palestinians, have been met with massive international criticism.
There is also growing criticism among the Israeli population, with opinion polls indicating that many are in favour of ending the war in Gaza.
Hamas-led ministry: At least 38 killed in latest attacks
The armed forces launched a new major offensive in Gaza about a week ago. Dozens of deaths have since been reported daily in the Gaza Strip.
In the latest attacks, the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said at least 38 people were killed in the past day.
A further 204 people were injured during the past 24 hours, the authority said on Sunday.
The figures do not include victims registered in hospitals in northern Gaza, as access to the area is currently too difficult, the ministry added.
Since the start of the Gaza war, following the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, more than 53,900 people have been killed in the territory, according to Palestinian sources.
More than 122,700 people have been injured.
Israel: 107 aid trucks reached Gaza on Sunday
Meanwhile, humanitarian aid deliveries have resumed after a nearly three-month halt. According to COGAT, the Israeli authority for Palestinian affairs, a total of 107 trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing on Sunday.
The shipments included flour for bakeries and food, COGAT said in a statement.
“The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] will continue to facilitate humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip while making every effort to ensure that the aid does not reach the hands of the Hamas terrorist organization,” it added.
Israel had blocked aid deliveries since early March, accusing Hamas of reselling the aid supplies to finance its fighters and weapons.
The United Nations and aid organizations are warning of famine in the coastal strip. Aid workers have said the quantities that have arrived in Gaza are not sufficient to alleviate the population’s suffering, while also describing difficulties in distributing the aid.
Relatives of Palestinians who lost their lives mourn after the Israeli army bombed several homes in Gaza, The bodies of Palestinians who lost their lives in the attack are transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Hadi Daoud/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Relatives of Palestinians who lost their lives mourn after the Israeli army bombed several homes in Gaza, The bodies of Palestinians who lost their lives in the attack are transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Hadi Daoud/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
